Shock absorber



Jan. 30, 1951 M. KATZ saocx ABSORBER Filed June 25, 1945 I N VEN TOR. MUG/6E @rz BY awrzam 7 fiatentea jan. 30, 195i 2;;5 39,84l1 LSHQQ A RBER Maurice Katz, Toulouse, France Alllfl qation Jun v.25, 1945, s rial n 501,433

' jll'ijFlal lpl April 14,1942

Claims. ,1

This invention relates to shock absorbers and has for its obiect to :provide -improvements in and relating to the same.

*w'Ihe shock absorber to which the present invention relates "is intended, more particularly, for landing gears for aircraft. It differs principally from the similar -s'hoc'k absorbers which are used now by its great flexibility during taxyi-ng atogether with its high capacity for-absorbingenergy with a :very high efficiency.

"ZBhus, ittle-rings a complete solution :to the problem presented-by the requirements for the landing and 'ithe rolling on the ground of aircraft, which requirements seemed hitherto to zbe contradictory :"It is known, indeEdfllhhal? the running of aircraftaonthe :groun'd evenawhen the-ground isonl-y slightly uneven, @produces relative displacements either-sliding iwlreelrcarrying leg :or strut with respect *to the fixed part of the shock absorber which [occur at considerable speeds, soften ia'r higher than the vertical =lowerin'g speed of the aircraft for whichethe.reactiomoithe shock :absorber has been 1 provided.

xsinoersai'd reaction, or the sum of .:the r stresses transmitted 'to fltheilaznding sgear connections, increases very rapidly i(almost with Ethe asql a're :Bf the speed) (it quickly exceeds the permissible limit, whichgitself is valready:too high; in the; case ofyhig h speed aircraft, and-iiinallyicauses serious accidents J-(gmtmd ilooping, Fbreaking of :gears, 'fa'stenirigs zandetheilikey.

The mastering and szdriving ,aof .the aircraft at the imoment of ifilfilkfirOfi, -;as swell-as when lanziding, irem-ain very adifficult s-for :the .zpiloft nawing :to the high aaaccelerations imparted to :the .sairoi-att @bodyioythe landing gear.

it axis thus-..necessary tov arrange :-"taking..ofi land ianding'tracks which anustobe specially-prepared for this. purposevand zthe :useof which constitutes 3-:13110111318801116 necessity.

rill-these inconveniences result firstof all,from

the lack of flexibility in thesslrockiabsorber when running. on Lthe iground. '.:F1exibility,-

28.617118 absence ;of considerablereaction, couldlbeobtained hitherto, 'to'.a j-verycsmall degree, .-.only-uat the cost ofiefiiciency and only for certain aircraft the vertical rate of descent of which scarcely does not materially exceed saboutnrmetres @per second.

#The :shock absorber i according to ithe' present invention doesaway with, ora't :leastreduces to asvery large :exten't,-;all these inconveniences due to the provision of a device which eliminates, during the running, every reaction coming-'i'i-ro-m theenergysdissipating element andallowstoexist *2 only much smaller reaction coming from the elastic element. Thus, the total reaction Zis' iiiv every case smaller than the iperfiiissible value e3 tai-r-ied during-the landing. It comprises for this purposes: -'(1-) an energy dissipating member formed of' anannular char-x ;-v ber containing a special oil which does not freeze at theusual low temperatures', an expansion brakiin-g system and an oil throttling"r levice working during the landing and for the-time whichis ab solutelynecessary for absorbing the shock, and (2) an elastic -membercomprising either alconipressed air chamber, a metallic-spring or a pile of rubber. v The whole shock absorber which .form'szthe deg of an aircraft undercarriage" is shown'iby. way of example :in Figure ll of the appended isingle sheet of drawing, which figure is .a longitildiiial sec! tional wiew on :a reduced scale' showing the sliding =tube carrying the wheel partially driven-in position. l

Figures 2 -3 and A are ha1-f -sectiona-1 partial views on a larger scale showing certain details of Figure a. 0f course -thisexample of practical execution constitutes onlyl a particular case of the application of-sthe invention, and itwillibekunderstood that the construction :and' application of the shock absorber can be different-than illustrated,- the -devicesan'd methods which areused remaining-the same. 4 "According to theform --of execution shown dinthe drawing the shock--absorbericomprises a tube l fastened on -th' aircrait .and hermetically. closed =by acap 2 -inits upper part.

-A- movable tube 3 --slid i ng in the .=.tnbe 4| carries inits lower part a hub 4 intended for receiving the wheel (not show n in the drawing).

The tube 3 is extended i'njits upper part by a tube-5 which-is fast and-concentric' with it, which has a smaller diameter andB-which 'is l'closed-at the top -by a plug 6. v -A- ri-ng I --n 1aintained-by anut 8 on the lowerpart of the fixed strut l servesas a :guidefor "the sliding tube A j oint'in the nature 0f a stu'iiing box com posed-of a fewu packingspf plastic? material :9

and ofia iew we'clgesantl metallic-discs- -fi), insures the tightnessof the bottoni of the annular chambers: H and l2 fformedby-"the alillbS 3 and-f5 with the outer cylinder 1. The tube is provided at *its upper extremity with an annular' piston la'i which has slidin g contact w-i=ththe -interior oi the tube l and-separates the chambers l band l2-fil1ed with a special oil Communication between the chambers II and I2 is provided by vertical openings 01' ports IS in the body of piston I3, and by grooves 35 in the periphery of the piston.

A movable ring It, normally supported by a crown I5 in a position below and out of contact with the piston I3, covers the openings I6 of the piston I3 when the latter moves down.

In the middle part of'the tube I a nut II locks in fixed position a diaphragm I8 of generally cupshaped form serving as a guide for the sliding tube 5.

A plurality of gudgeon pins I9 can be provided around the periphery of the diaphragm to prevent its turning under the action of the twisting moment which it may be necessary to absorb in certain cases and which the tube 5 would transmit by means of its external splines 20.

Inside the diaphragm I8 is located a sliding ring 2| the upward movement of which is limited by a nut 22 screwed into the body of the diaphragm I8.

Another nut 23 fast with the ring 2| makes it possible, by means of the compression spring 24, to maintain the ring in its raised position, as shown in Figure 3.

The upper part of the tube I forms the compressed air chamber 25.

The filling with oil and then with air is effected thru the same nipple 26.

The small tube 21 fixes the oil level, the strut 3 being then at the bottom of its stroke.

The shock absorber works as follows:

When the aircraft is about to land, that is to say when the shock is about to be produced on the sliding tube 3, the latter is in its outermost or fully extended position and strikes thru the teeth 28 of the plug 6 onto the indented crown 23 which is formed in the lower part of and inside the ring 2|. The latter rests, therefore, on the bottom of its recess provided in the body of the diaphragm I8 while compressing the spring 24 (Figure 2).

When the shock occurs, and during the whole time of the same the tube 3 is driven in and creates a powerful overpressure in the chamber I2 which communicates thru the large and numerous openings 30 in the lower portion of diaphragm I8 with the small annular space left between the ring 2|, the nut 22 and the body of the diaphragm I8. This overpressure which acts thus on the upper face of the edge or shoulder 3| of the ring 2| maintains the latter in its initial position indicated in Figure 2 during the whole time of the raising movement of the strut 3, i. e. during the whole stroke of the shock absorber.

During this time the oil contained in the chamber I2 passes into the smaller chamber I thru the openings I6 which are then entirely uncovered by the ring I4.

The excess of oil which has to produce with the compressed air the reaction which is necessary for absorbing the energy. of the shock is throttled part thru the small open n s 32 in the I flange of diaphragm I8 and part thru the grooves 33 in the outer surface of tube 5, into the chamber 25. The grooves 33 provided in the tube 5 have a suitable profile so as to offer to the oil, together with the openings 32, a section of passage which is such that the total reaction of the shock absorber which is due to the dissipator and to the adiabatic compressionof the compressed air is constant during the whole stroke, in spite of variations in the speed of upward 4 movement of the sliding strut 3. tains the maximum efiiciency.

As soon as the shock is absorbed, an expansion occurs, and the movement of the strut 3 and of the oil changes its direction.

The pressure of the compressed air in the chamber acts upon the top plug 3 of the tube 5 and causes the latter to go down.

A lowering of pressure is created in the chamber I2 and, accordingly, on the upper face of the edge 3| of the ring 2|. The ring 2|, which is submitted to a pressure which is uniform but not balanced on the upper side of the nut 23, the lower side of the same nut thru the openings 34 in the upper portion of the diaphragm I B and on the lower face of-the edge 3|, raises and takes the position indicated in Figure 3. The raising of the ring 2|, which could also be eifected, but more slowly, by means of the spring 24 alone, is due more particularly to the partial vacuum existing in the chamber I2 and provoking the lack of balance between the forces acting upon the ring 2|. The latter thus rises quickly and uncovers the large openings which, while causing the chamber I2 to communicate freely with the chamber 25, do away with whatever reaction is caused by the throttling of the oil, which reaction is particularly high at high speeds.

Thus, after the absorption of the shock, the aircraft is taxying only on the compressed air, the pressure of which is rather small during the greatest part of the stroke which is independent of the speed, whence the great flexibility of the shock absorber.

It is evident that whatever movement of the sliding strut may ensue, the ring 2| keeps its position. It can be brought again onto the bot- One thus obtom of its recess in the diaphragm |8 only by. engagement of the teeth 28 with the crown 29 after a complete expansion of the device, i. c: after the taking off of the aircraft; it would Thus, the taking off will also be effected on the compressed air alone, that is to say with a great flexibility, even on a bad ground.

In order to prevent rebounding of the aircraft due to sudden expansions, which are particularly dangerous at the end of the stroke when the pressure of the air which provokes them is maximum, the return of the strut is braked by means of the piston 3. For this purpose said piston (Figures 1 and 4) comprises a movable ring I4 which, under the action of the pressure produced in the chamber |.I during the downward movement of the piston I3, closes the openings I6 provided in said piston I3. Then the oil com-, pressed in the chamber II can pass into the chamber I2 only thru the few. grooves 35 of small section provided on the periphery of the piston I3.

Braking of the expansion can also be effected according to a more rational law thru grooves 36 having a variable section (shown in chainline in Figure 4) provided along the generatingv lines of the interior of the cylinder I.

Iclaim:

1. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to,

use the landing gear of aircraft comprising te1escop ne m mbe s and diaphra m mea s dir g he space enclo ed by sa d m mbers into communicating chambers one of which is of variable volume and filled with liquid and another which contains liquid and elastic cushionin means exerting a force on said liquid and tending to extend said members, said diaphragm means having a substantially unrestricted liquid passage therethrough and also a second liquid passage therethrough, a valve member movable to a position restricting the flow through said first passage, means on one of said telescoping members engageable with means on said valve member to move said valve member to flow restrictlng position when said telescoping members are fully extended, said valve member having surfaces which in the flow restricting position thereof are exposed to the pressures existing in said two chambers and the relative effective area of which is such that said valve member is maintained in fiow restricting position by the greater pressure existing in said first mentioned chamber during compression of said telescoping members from their fully extended position, but is moved to non-restricting position when the pressure in said first mentioned chamber drops at the end of the compression movement whereby the resultant of the forces acting on said valve member changes in direction.

2. A shock absorber according to claim 1, said telescoping members forming a, third chamber of variable volume that is full of liquid, orifice means connecting said third chamber with said first mentioned chamber, and valve means carried by one of said telescoping members for restricting flow through said orifice means during extending movement of said telescoping members.

3. A shock absorber according to claim 1, in-

cluding resilient means acting on said valve member and tending to move it to said non-restricting position.

4. A shock absorber according to claim 1, said valve member closing said first passage when moved to said fiow restricting position and being maintained in closed position during said compression by the liquid pressure in said first mentioned chamber acting through said first passage against one of said surfaces.

5. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft comprising telescoping members, diaphragm means in one of said members, the other member having a portion extending movably through said diaphragm means which form means to provide restricted liquid communication between the chambers on opposite sides of said diaphragm means, one of said chambers being of variable volume and filled with liquid and the other containing liquid and elastic cushioning means exerting a force on said liquid and tending to extend said members, said diaphragm means having a substantially unrestricted liquid passage therethrough, a normally open valve member for said passage, means on one of said telescoping members engageable with means on said valve member to move said valve member to closed position when said telescoping members are fully extended, said valve member having surfaces exposed to the liquid pressures in said chambers when the valve member is in closed position and the relative effective area of said surfaces being such that the resultant of the forces acting on said valve member during compression of said telescoping members from their fully extended position maintains said valve member in closed position, by virtue of the greater pressure insaid chamber ofvariable volume during said compression, and such that said re sultant is changed in direction when said greater pressure drops at the end of said compression and said valve member is moved to its normally open position.

6. A shock absorber according to claim 5, including resilient means acting on said valve member and tending to move it to open position.

7. A shock absorber according to claim 5, said telescoping members forming between their walls a third chamber of variable volume, piston means carried by one telescoping member and having sliding engagement with the other telescoping member for closing one end of said third chamber, said piston means having an orifice therein establishing communication between said third chamber and said first chamber of variable volume, and valve means carried by one of said telescoping members for closing said orifice during extending movement of said telescoping members.

8. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft comprising telescoping members, diaphragm means fixed in one of said members and having a tubular central section, the other telescoping member having a rod movable through said section, said diaphragm means dividing the space enclosed by said members into a chamber above said diaphragm means which contains liquid and air under pressure and a chamber below said diaphragm means which is filled with liquid, the lower portion of said tubular section having a flange directed inwardly toward and cooperating with said rod to form means providing restricted liquid flow between said chambers andsaid tubular section also having a port above said flange for substantially unrestricted liquid flow between said chambers, a sleeve member movable between said tubular section and said rod and between an upper position in which said port is open and a lower position in which said port is closed, means carried by said rod and engageable with said sleeve member for moving it downwardly to port closing position when said telescoping members move to their fully extended position, said sleeve member having surfaces which in its lower port closing position are subjected to the pressure in said upper chamber and to the pressure in said lower chamber acting through said port, the relative effective areas of said surfaces being such that the resultant of the forces acting on said sleeve member maintains it in port closing position as said telescoping members move from their fully extended position under compression, by virtue of the greater pressure existing in said lower chamber, and such that said resultant is changed in direction when said greater pressure drops at the end of the compression stroke and said sleeve member is moved to its upper position.

9. A shock absorber according to claim 8, including a spring urging said sleeve member toward its upper position.

10. A shock absorber according to claim 8, said telescoping members forming a third chamber of variable volume between their telescoping walls, closure means carried by one of said telescoping members and having sliding engagement with the other telescoping member for closing the end of said third chamber, said closure means having passages therethrough establishing communication between said third chamber and said lower chamber, and valve means carried by one of said telescoping members for closing Said passages Number during extending movement of said telescoping 1,767,105 members. 1,886,712 MAURICE KATZ. 2,069,791 5 2,098,398 REFERENCES CITED 2,156,117 The following references are of record in the 2,224,306 file of this patent: 2,357,505

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Number 1,759,674 Wallace May 20, 1930 762,706

Name Date Wallace June 24, 1930 Messier Nov. 8, 1932 Wallace Feb. 9, 1937 Mercier Nov. 9, 1937 Johnson Apr. 25, 1939 Kru eger Dec. 10, 1940 Crispell Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Jan. 29, 1934 

